Joana Dos Santos and her family moved to Fitchburg from Uruguay when she was 12 years old not know ing a word of English, and she began her education at one of the local middle schools.

Now 26, she speaks English fluently, is pursuing a master's degree in communications at Fitchburg State University, and is working to bring about positive change to the city.

While the university does not track the number of students who opt to stay in the area after graduation, approximately 85 percent of public higher education graduates remain in Massachusetts to live and work, according to Matt Bruun, a spokesman for the college.

Dos Santos is one of those people, and she has no plans to leave Fitchburg anytime soon.

Dos Santos, executive director of the Cleghorn Neighborhood Center, said one of the biggest challenges she's faced over the years is a misconception people have about the neighborhood.

"This really is a beautiful part of the city. Years ago, there were a lot of drugs and things in this area, but that has changed. People are taking pride in their neighborhood," she said. "One of the things we're doing is having people talk to each other. This neighborhood used to be French Canadian but they've moved to Upper Cleghorn. Now, it's a lot of Latinos, and nobody is talking to each other. I think conversations about unity can really be helpful here."

Dos Santos has filled various roles at the Cleghorn Neighborhood Center, including working with children, teaching language classes and doing community organizing.

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Her passion for community hasn't always led her to wanting to stay local, however.

"As I was doing my undergraduate course study, I knew I wanted to remain a part of this community and bring about some change. I toyed with the idea of going into the Peace Corps," she said. "But after reflecting on the idea, I said why would I consider going abroad when there are so many things I could be doing here. ... I just knew this is where I was truly needed.

Fitchburg Ward 5 City Councilor Nick Carbone, a 2009 political science major at Fitchburg State, grew up in the city and said the idea of serving on the council and having a positive impact in his hometown community was always important to him.

Carbone passed the bar exam in April and is seeking full-time employment.

"I think from a young age, I knew a group like (the council) had the sway in the decision-making. I always knew it was something I wanted to be a part of," he said. "When you're doing a job in public service, you don't always hear enough praise, and sometimes that gets frustrating."

He credits a lot of what is being done in the city to Mayor Lisa Wong, and said he's excited about the prospect of remaining a part of such positive change.

"I've definitely seen a change, especially since our current mayor has been in office. I think it's positive and I think people are having less and less to complain about, which is a good thing," he said.

At 26 years old, Carbone brings a unique perspective to the council, he said.

"I'm still pretty young, so it's nice to think these are things I want to do or these are things I would want to do. I think it takes someone who's younger who has been around awhile to push for certain things to happen," he said.

He would often hear negative comments about the city or the decisions being made, so instead of just sitting back and doing nothing, he wanted to get involved.

"I think the draw of staying here is that wherever I go, there are people who always tend to complain about their city. If there's something you want fixed ... why not have it be your hometown?" he said.

He and Ward 4 Councilor Dolores Thibault-Munoz have come together in the past year to form an informal group known as Ward 9.

Their districts border the university on either side, and he said this was a way for the college community to get involved in city politics.

"We meet and try to engage the students as well as the people surrounding the schools," he said. "A lot of times, someone from the school will show up, and if someone has a concern regarding the college, whether it's loud or something happened, we can figure out a way to collaborate on things."

This collaboration is one of the major reasons he enjoys staying in the city.

"It's good to have them there. Fitchburg State has moved toward Main Street so well. They're really cleaning up this area and cleaning up a lot of Fitchburg and changing perceptions. I think the more Fitchburg State does with the community, the better," he said.

Greg Wheeler, a 2003 political science major from Fitchburg State, was born and raised in Central Massachusetts, and has owned and operated his law firm in downtown Leominster since 2010.

Wheeler practices general civil litigation and doesn't regret maintaining a practice in the city where he grew up.

A 1998 graduate of Leominster High School, Wheeler felt a strong connection to the area.

"Staying here obviously has a lot to do with what I chose for my career. If I had chosen a political career, I would have moved to D.C.," he said.

Wheeler graduated from law school in 2007. He took a position with a firm in Worcester and stayed there until June 2010, when he opened his own practice.

"The goal was always to open my own practice, and the most logical place was to open it here. I know the area well. I live here. It just made perfect sense," he said.

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